Sea Lullaby
by Hachi Mitsu
Summary: A prequel to There Will Come Soft Rain, from Michiru's POV of her own experiences.


Sea Lullaby

Sea Lullaby

By hachi mitsu

05.24.98

The old moon is tarnished with smokes of the flood   
The dead leaves are varnished with color like blood 

  
A treacherous smiler with teeth white as milk   
A savage beguiler in sheathings of silk 

  
The sea creeps to pillage she leaps on her prey   
A child of the village was murdered today 

  
She came to meat him in a smooth golden cloak   
She choked him and beat him to death, for a joke 

  
Her bright locks were tangled, she shouted for joy   
With one had she strangled a strong little boy 

  
Now in silence she lingers beside him all night   
To wash her long fingers in silvery light...

[dream]   
  


I stood frozen, unable to move... three crystals floated in front of me. Its brilliance so bright, that I was completely blinded by its light. I looked at the ruins around me, bathing in a strange red light. There were no signs of any form of life. All I could see was destruction. The scent of fear filled the air. 

"Michiru..." 

"WHAT!?!? Who is it?!?" I was startled by the sound of a voice in such a desolate and place. This was not the first time I had this dream. But this WAS the first time someone spoke to me in it. 

"What do you want?" i tried to sound brave and unafraid... but my voice failed me. 

"Michiru, you must find the 3 pure hearts that contain the talismans in order to prevent the destruction of Earth. When you find the pure hearts, they will turn into the 3 talisman" a desperate, yet some what familiar voice spoke. As the voice spoke, the 3 crystals turned 3 objects. A sword, a mirror and an orb. "Once you have all 3 talisman, they will come together to form the holy grail." 

The 3 talisman merged together and in a brilliant flash of light, turned into a cup like object that was apparently the holy grail. "You must get the holy grail before your enemy does... if the Messiah of Silence reaches the holy grail first, our entire planet will be destroyed. Everything will perish." 

"But why me" I finally found my voice. I was totally confused. How could *I* accomplish such a thing. 

"Your powers as Sailor Neptune will soon be revive, as will your memories of your past life on the Silver Millennium." With that, the voice faded away. The holy grail broke into the 3 crystals and vanished. 

WHAT?!?! As of that point, I wasn't sure I want this job. I don't want to remember my past life. I don't wanna be Sailor Neptune either. I just want to go on living a normal life. I tried to argue but when I opened my mouth to protest, I found that I couldn't speak. In fact I couldn't breath either. The scene around me blurred together and soon I the only thing I could see was a swirls of blue and green. I felt as if I was drowning. Panic filled me as I struggled to draw a breath but only felt water rushed in my mouth. It was only a dream, but it seemed so real... I looked around me, desperately trying to find a way out. Seeing a dim light above me, I struggled in vain to reach what appeared to be the surface. 

At last I could move no more. My vision began to black out completely, with one last struggle to reach air, I felt the blackness engulf me completely...   
  


[end of dream] 

I sat up in bed, struggling to breath. The dreamed had seemed so real... "Why do I always have these dreams?" asked the emptiness of my room in frustration. I couldn't understand. I had a perfect life. One that any girl would envy. I was rich, smart, talented. What more could I want... well a family would be nice... my parents died when I was little. But that's beside the point. Despite my loneliness, I had always been rather content and sure of myself. But the last week or so, I felt my confidence slip away... 

Glance at the clock beside me, I realized it was only 5 in the morning. Well I couldn't sleep anymore. Might as well get up. After stepping out of a cold shower, I slipped into my usual attire, a white dress blouse and a deep green skirt. Running a brush through my wavy, aqua hair, my mind wandered back to the dream. 

Somehow, I wasn't as shocked by it as I should be. Although I didn't want to have anything to do with it, the responsible part of me protested. Maybe I should at least find out what it was about, like do some research in the library on talisman and the other stuff the voice mentioned. I glanced at my watch again. It was 6. Since it was Saturday, the library won't be open till 7. By the time I get there it'll probably be 7. I grabbed my keys and step in to the halls outside my apartment. Walking towards the elevator, I pressed the down button and proceeded to wait for the elevator to reach my floor. 

::sigh:: I was so confused. My entire life had just changed. My world?once so secure. It was as if someone had took my life, everything I stood for and replaced it with someone else's. It was like walking around in someone else's body, not sure what to do. Like an actress walking out to the stage, only to have realized that she had forgotten her lines. Just standing there looking at everyone else... not sure to what's going on... but not able to do anything either. Can't get off stage. Can't hide behind the curtains anymore. just stand there, in the mist of confusion, facing the silent glares of the audience. Shutting my eyes, I leaned on the steel doors of the elevator, feeling silent tears slid down my checks. 

"Huh?" My eyes snapped wide open. I was jolt from my thoughts by a strange feeling of trepidation. It was a feeling I could not explain. As if something was about to happen, something that would shatter what remains of my already torn apart life. I looked around the dim halls. They were only lit by a few chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Pretty, but not very useful. I struggle to hear something, but only a restless silence greeted me. Walking away from my post at the elevator, I proceeded down the hall, the thick carpet stifled my foot steps. As I neared the door that led to the stairs, I began to hear muffled screams. I tiptoed cautiously towards the door and opened the door just a crack. Peeking in, I nearly fainted. A gruesome figure twice my size stood on the landing of the stairs. It held one arm up, with a strange black star of it. A beam of dark light shone from it toward the heart of a little girl it held. I gasped as I realized that she was the daughter of my the woman that lived next door to me, Monica, as I recalled her name. 

"AAAHHH!!!" Monica screamed as the beam of light tore her open. A brilliant crystal appeared as she collapsed on the floor. I was shocked. I knelt down on my knees, paralyzed by pure fear. Covering my face with my hands I began to sob, both at my cowardice and at my helplessness. 

Suddenly, a beautiful pen appeared before be. It floated inches before me, glowing with an unnatural light. My hands slowly reached towards it. I was about to grasp it when something made me hesitate. Part of me, wanted to take it. Yet another didn't. I wasn't stupid. The voice in my dreams had said that I'll get my powers soon. This was probably it. I wanted to help Monica, but I didn't want to lose what ever I had left. Besides, shes probably dead already. 

"NO!" I shouted to myself. I had to help. Besides, I can抰 live the rest of my life knowing that a little kid died because I was too scared to save her. Before I could change my mind, I reached over and clasped my hand over the pen. 

"Huh?" I looked up in surprise as I was blasted with a spear of pure light. I felt the light engulf me. memories began to flood back. Painful events from the past? I clutched my head within my hands as I tried to make them go away. I didn't want to remember. Pictures of the sailor senshis began to flash before. With each one, the silvery light got brighter and brighter, until I could bear it no more. My mind slid from consciousness. Blackness wrapped around me, swallowing me up? 

[back flash]   
  


I filled with happiness as I waltzed around the beautiful ballroom. Enormous chandeliers hung from the high ceiling of the room, the dazzling crystals handing from them gave the marble walls and floor of the room a dreamy look. The sweet smell of champagne filled the air. Flower arrangements of red and white roses hung from all the windows added to the splendor. 

As the dance ended I walked towards my group of friends chatting on the balcony. Everyone were dressed their best. Me myself, I was wearing an aqua gown bordered with white lace. Two white lilies were braided into my aqua hair. I sighed with happiness, everything was so perfect. The fragrant of the summer night breeze filled the air. 

"Hi guys!" I said cheerfully then frowned with confusion. "Hey, where's Princess Serena? She's suppose to be here." 

Rei sighed with annoyance. "She'll probably late again, you know how she is. I can't believe she's is going to take the place of Queen Serenity someday. They kingdom would probably be in complete chaos." 

I looked at her doubtfully. "And that抯 it? Are you sure?" I looked around waiting for an answer. The it came to me. "Its not prince Darien again is it?" From the look of the guilty faces I answered my own question. I couldn't抰 believe she still like that guy. He *was* from Earth? 

"Hey! Isn't that Serena?!" Leta suddenly shouted to us. I turned around just in time to see the princess waltz past us with a masked dark haired guy. 

"I wonder... could that be Prince Darien?" Everyone looked toward the Princess of Mercury. Ami blushed and muttered, "well probably not." We began laughing at the stupidity of that statement as a sudden crash was heard. 

Everyone looked in alarm. Luna and Artimes sped around the ballroom screaming that we were under attack. Queen Beryl and the NegaVerse are attacking us! I looked towards the other senshis. We looked towards each other with complete understatement, it was time to transform. 

"NEPTURNE STAR POWER" instead of waiting till the others transform, I immediately ran outside to the battle. But before I could attack, a blast of energy hit me. I collapsed on the ground unable to do anything as I watched my friends got killed. Mars... Venus... Mercury... Jupiter... Saturn... Uranus... all dead. The beautiful palace that was once the splendor of our kingdom, lied in ruins. Almost everyone was dead. 

Looking up, I was startled to see Serena. Hope filled me as I saw that the princess was still alive. But as quickly the hope came, it disappeared. It doesn't matter. She'll just be killed too. Nothing matters anymore. but I have to try. She was the princess. I have to save her. With one last burst of energy. I stood up, struggling to reach her. But I only collapsed again. I could not get up again. I felt so helpless. Watching my friends die. Unable to do anything. Then I died too. Death surrounded me, draining away the last of my energy. Leaving me as nothing...   
  


[end of back flash] 

The light faded away. I found myself on the floor of the hall way clasping the pen to my chest, sobbing. I still remember how I felt. To be totally powerless to help... unable to do a single thing. Just watching my friends die. One by one. Well, it wasn't going to happen again. "NEPTUNE STAR POWER!" Slamming the door open with no hesitation, I blasted the damion. Retrieving the heart crystal, I placed it back into Monica, after checking to see if it was the talisman of course. I smiled. This time I could help. 

By finding the talisman, I could save the world and everyone I loved. I was given another chance. To be able to help. I am no longer powerless. Glancing down at what remains of the damion, I vowed to find the talismans, no matter what. I won't let anything stand in my way this time... 

[owari]


End file.
